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Tigers must stop suppression of Tamil civilians: Bishop of Colombo

Rt. Revd. Duleep de Chickera, Bishop of Colombo condemned the two recent attacks made by the LTTE targeting the innocent and defenceless civilians who fled the LTTE clutches.

The bishop in a statement said that the LTTE must immediately stop the ruthless suppression of Tamil civilians.

The Bishop also said that the number of civilian casualties might increase as the war is now intensifying and the LTTE terrorists are in a desperate situation. He has outlined four realities that all Sri Lankans should strive to ensure at this moment.

In his statement, the Bishop stated that in the suicide bomb explosion at the checkpoint in Suthantirapuram, 10 civilians and 20 soldiers engaged in receiving Tamil civilians who had crossed over were killed and many more were injured. The deliberate firing at civilians crossing over from uncleared areas killed 19 and injured 69.

This correspondingly leads to a growing sense of helplessness amongst all who long for an end to war and human suffering. In these circumstances there are four realities that all Sri Lankans should strive to ensure.

Bishop called for a democratic space for persons of religious and ideological conviction, committed to non-violent methods of dealing with conflict, to be heard with respect and a prompt and professional programme of reconstruction accompanied with a return to civil administration that offers freedom and dignity to all, be realized.

In his statement the Bishop invited all communities in Sri Lanka to work and pray to keep theses realities alive during these very difficult and daunting days.

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